Ashforths First Career Goal Beats Central Connecticut

Adele Jackson-Gibson. (photo by Sam Rubin '95, Yale Sports Publicity)

Oct 05, 2009

Bulldogs Edge Blue Devils 3-2

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - It was a night of firsts for the Yale women's
soccer team. Megan Ashforth scored her first goal at Yale, and
goalkeeper Adele Jackson-Gibson earned her first career victory as
the Bulldogs topped Central Connecticut 3-2 on a chilly night at
Reese Stadium. Old reliable Becky Brown also had a role. She scored
Yale's first two goals and now leads the team with nine.

The score was tied at 2-2 when Ashforth headed in a beautiful
free kick from Sophia Merrifield at 65:15.

"We've been working on that a lot in practice, especially trying
to get better services," said Yale head coach Rudy Meredith.

Jackson-Gibson, a freshman playing her first game in goal, made
sure the Bulldogs held the lead. She entered at the start of the
second half and was outstanding, finishing with six saves,
including two spectacular stops. She dove to her right to rob
Brittany Jackson just after Yale had gone ahead and then a few
minutes later, jumped high to snare a Leah Blayney blast.

"Adele made some unbelievable saves," Meredith said. "She has
been playing well in practice so we wanted to get her in a game and
get her some experience."

The game was a wide-open affair as the teams combined for 29
shots.

"It was like a U.S. Open tennis match," Meredith said. "My head
was going back and forth following the ball."

The Blue Devils (4-6-1) struck first just 4:33 into the game.
Blayney sent a ball forward. Yale goalkeeper Ayana Sumiyasu
couldn't control it, and Beth Lloyd was there to knock it in.

Brown scored her first goal less than 10 minutes later. Leslie
Perez sent a corner kick into the box, and the ball deflected to
Miyuki Hino. Her shot was blocked, but it went right to Brown, who
tapped it in.

Brown used her speed to get her second goal. She outraced
Central Connecticut goalkeeper Caity Casey to an Enma Mullo pass
and calmly deposited the ball into an empty net.

Central, though, tied the score early in the second half on a
goal by Brittany Jackson.

The Bulldogs (6-3) have now won three straight.

Yale hosts Dartmouth in an important Ivy League game on Friday
night at 7 p.m.